The Perfect Trip

In 2009, I visited Paris with my cousin. Before visiting the city, my cousin assured me that  her itinerary covered all the “highlights of Paris.” The first day, after waiting in line for a couple of hours, we finally made it up the Eiffel Tower. The rest of the afternoon and the next couple of days we visited family, which was enjoyable however our main focus was to explore the city.

The second trip to Paris, since I didn’t learn anything from the first lesson, I decided to repeat the learning process and allow another cousin to plan the itinerary. She assured me that she was adept at navigating the city. When we arrived at the Louvre, we noticed that it was closed for the day. Not a problem, we’ll just stroll over to another museum. An hour later, because it takes a long time to walk anywhere, we arrived at another museum that was just closing. I’m sad to admit that I saw even less then my first trip.

In 2014, the third time is the charm, I planned the itinerary. Months before my husband and I made the trip, I carefully read, plotted and scheduled each day according to each individual arrondissement (administrative districts/sections). Wherever I could, I purchased tickets in advance via the internet (this allowed me to obtain some killer deals, however be careful to ensure they are legit sites. I checked with Fodor). Instead of taking the metro, we opted for the hop on/hop off bus. This way we could see the city from above ground.

Instead of assuming hours for museums/churches and other landmarks, I carefully noted days and times. Since we visited Paris during the summer, I noted the days and hours that would be less crowded. The result was a fabulous trip that ensured that we were able to enjoy this beautiful city. The last thing you want to do when going a trip is to waste hours waiting in line or running around in circles. I wouldn’t recommend renting a car, there is no need to wait in traffic.

If you decide to hire a tour guide, check reviews and hire one that explores the areas you want to visit, not the ones where he/she receives commissions. Bon voyage!